A Beautiful Darkness
by Lady Sakura of the Fated
Summary: After defeating Voldemort, Harry is hit by a curse that sends him into darkness 24/7. He be-friends a certain ex-Death Eater and learns that some darknesses are beautiful. H/D, R/H, B/P
1. Library

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry sat on a mountain side overlooking a vast dark lake. Its towers reached the lowest clouds and its dungeons sat miles underground. Students in black robes milled around, enjoying the September air and celebrating the defeat of the Greatest Dark Wizard that had ever occupied Great Britain.

Hogwarts was still recovering from the Last Battle that took the life of many, including Voldemort. The ancient magic was slowly and carefully being infused back into the newly repaired walls by the professors, and some of the seventh years. One of those seventh years was Hermione Granger, a muggle-born and the highest ranking student since Merlin himself. On this morning she was studying in the newly-refurnished library, her face buried deep into a book on potions.

Horace Slughorn took Severus Snape's position over as Potions Professor. Hermione certainly liked him, he was a great teacher and a whole lot nicer than Snape, but it was quite difficult to sit there and learn from someone jolly and not sit there and cower from a greasy-haired git while in the damp dungeon like she had for the past five years. She laughed to herself, jotting down something on the Hex-Repellent potion they had to make the next day.

Twenty minutes later, a small alarm went off coming from a muggle watch Ron Weasley's father got her as a celebration gift. She closed the book with a satisfied grin, glad she decided to work on her homework early. She put her stuff away and trudged up to Gryffindor Tower.

As she approached the Fat Lady, she heard her name being called from the stairs by a familiar voice. She turned around only to be engulfed in her boyfriend's arms, his stature over towering hers.

Ron Weasley was 6ft tall and still growing. His red Weasley hair was grown out and pulled back like his brother Bills. His freckles faded some because of the tan he had acquired over the summer fighting in the war. He embraced his girlfriend, burying his head in her bushy brown hair, thanking still that she was alive.

As they broke apart they looked into each others eyes, searching for their everlasting love. Seeing it, they smiled and turned to the Fat Lady, laughing at her dreamful expression.

"Ah, young love. It's so touching." She sniffed and wiped at her eyes with a handkerchief, before asking the password.

"Dinosaur." Hermione said through her giggles, glad that she thought of the idea of letting Neville choose the passwords. She didn't know how Neville knew what the muggle words were but seeing Ron's confused look every time always made her laugh.

As they made their way into the common room, they were surprised at the amount of people milling around. Usually, the common room would be empty at this time of day, the students taking advantage of the frequent breaks outside. They shrugged it off before heading upstairs to the only private room near the boys dormitories.


	2. Lunch

Authors Note: Okay, I know I should be updating Can't Fight It but I give up on it for now, plus theres also the fact that the chapters are on my other computer and I have no way to transfer them to the one I'm using. Plus, I've had this idea for a while now and I finally got to writing it so yeah. I'm sorry if there's mistakes but I don't have a beta-chan and this stupid thing doens't like indents so sorry about that too. Read, Review, and Enjoy!!

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Harry Potter was no ordinary, everyday wizard. As a child he was sent to live with his last remaining relatives after his parents were supposedly killed in a car crash. At the Dursley's there was no sympathy or love for the young orphaned boy, but a life living as a slave.

His bedroom was the cupboard under the stairs and consisted of a small cot, some boxes, a couple of small action figures he had pilfered from the trash, and a bunch of spiders. Every morning Harry would be woken up by his overly large uncle and make breakfast for the Dursley's, his own breakfast consisting of a half a piece of toast and any scraps left over. He might get more but only if his uncle was in a good mood, which wasn't a normal occurrence.

During the day he would do his long list of chores around the house and outside. If he got done early he would take a walk to the nearby park and avoid Dudley, his cousin. While he was working in the garden he would chat with some neighborhood snakes, not realizing he was and when he got mad, which wasn't too often, weird and unexplained things would happen. This usually caused him to be locked up in his cupboard for a week without any food if Uncle Vernon saw him.

By the time Harry was nearing eleven he had turned into a shy, withdrawn boy who would follow any type of order for fear of punishment, and grew up oblivious to any type of affection. But on the night of his eleventh birthday things seemed to change for the better. If only for a little bit.

This was as far as Harry got in his reminiscing, before he was wrenched back into the real world as he heard the door open. He looked up and waited for his visitor to speak.

"Hello Harry, its Hermione and Ron. We've come to take you to lunch."

"'Lo mate." Ron's gruff voice said through the sudden silence as Harry pondered whether he wanted to go or not. Shrugging, Harry greeted them both in return before getting up and slowly walking towards their voices. He allowed a smile slip onto his face as felt the reassuring grips of his two best friends on his arms, guiding him out of the room.

X.X.X

It was a slow and painful process for all three of them as they made their way to the Great Hall. Thankfully everyone was at lunch already so they passed no one in the corridors. As they entered, Harry stiffened a bit at all of the faceless voices, but continued on, shooting -what he hoped was- a grateful look at Hermione as she whispered calming words in his ear. They settled down between Dean and Neville at the Gryffindor table and before eating he listened as Hermione and Ron listed the different foods and their positions on the table. Thanking them he reached for the bowls, only getting his hands dirty twice. He was improving.

As he ate, he listened to the conversation around him, trying to process the many voices around him. He heard Dean and Seamus, who became an item a couple of days after the war, arguing over the best brand of pumpkin pie and kidney pie to his left. Right in front of him, Ginny's girly voice and Luna's whimsical one were naming all of the magical creatures they could, causing Harry to wince as he heard werewolf. Before that cursed word (besides Voldemort of course!) could bring back horrifying memories, he focused on the other voices he knew by heart.

Just before he tuned into the conversation going on between Neville Longbottom and Lavender Brown, he felt both Hermione and Ron tense up beside him. Worried he turned to Hermione and asked,

"'Mione, what's wrong?" Reacting purely by instinct he looked around the hall, before hitting himself in the head, forgetting that it wouldn't do him any good.

"Malfoy." Hermione and Ron said in unison, their voices hard as they remembered the many years of insults and their involuntary stay at Malfoy Manor. Harry thanked Merlin as the hall grew silent, his ears instantly focusing in at the noises over at the Slytherin table.

"What the fuck are you doing here you traitor scum?!" The snarling voice was not one he recognized and before he could figure it out he nodded in confirmation as the name Theodore Nott was whispered to him, before turning back to the conversation.

"I'm here to finish my education Nott. In short, I have every reason to be here as you do." The quiet yet hard voice rang through the Great Hall, bouncing off the stone walls and causing everyone to flinch. A rustle, as though someone was standing up, cut through the instant silence before a sharp voice addressed the ex-Death Eater.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm happy your back. I hope you will not let the past affect your studies or your relationships with others. Mr. Nott, I will see you in my office after the Feast. The password is Sparkly."

"Thank you Professor McGonagall." The sounds of someone sitting down reached Harry's ears before people started talking again.

"Harry, aren't you going to eat?" He nodded in the direction of the voice, which was one he couldn't identify and began digging in to some kidney pie happily supplied by Hermione at his request.

The rest of lunch was a quiet affair, well as quiet as you can get with a bunch of students chatting about everything under the sun, the main topic though being the incident between Malfoy and Nott. Harry himself was contemplating it, not only the conversation but how Malfoy acted. He sounded cold and indifferent, and even with Harry's now 'special hearing' he couldn't detect any emotion within Malfoy's voice, unlike before the war started when, even calm, his voice was filled with contempt and disgust, like the ground he was walking on offended him. Which it probably did.

"Weird." Harry whispered to himself, gulping down refreshing cold pumpkin juice.

"What's weird Harry?" Ginny Weasley's question startled him, causing him to spill some of the juice down his shirt, as he was not expecting anyone to hear him.

"Nothing Gin." Harry answered cautiously. Harry wasn't as oblivious as everyone thought he was and knew that Ginny had been dropping hints about starting up their relationship again but he wasn't interested anymore, firmly set in the idea that Ginny just wanted him for his fame and that she also pitied him.

He stood up slowly, balancing himself by grabbing Hermione and Ron's shoulders and stepping over the bench before waiting for Ron's question he knew was coming up.

"Where you going mate?" Harry put on a smile and told his friend he was going to the bathroom. Politely declining Hermione's offer to go with him he carefully made his way to the giant double doors, grabbing at a candle stick on the wall as he tripped on a table leg. With some directions from a couple of students nearby that knew of his predicament (not that it wasn't obvious by now) he made his way out of the stifling Hall and purely by memory, headed for the nearest bathroom.

Just as he came to the bathroom, he heard footsteps stop right behind him before a sneering voice addressed him.

"Well if it isn't the little mousy."


	3. Encounter

Disclaimer: I do not own anything relating to Harry Potter. All things regarding Harry Potter are property of J.K. Rowling and those other British people.

Author Notes: I have another chapter written after this one (though its extremely short) and after that it'll take me a bit to get chapter 5 up because of school and my pure laziness. Thank you for reading A Beautiful Darkness and putting it on your alerts. Read, Review, and Enjoy!

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Harry muttered a curse under his breath to Merlin, immediately regretting his decision to refuse Hermione's offer to come with him. As he turned warily around, Nott's now recognizable voice –thanks to the scene he caused in the Great Hall- spoke out again,

"Where's the two other mouseys Potter?," he spat out his last name with disgust, "You know, if you weren't running into things because of the Light you wouldn't have so much trouble now would you? It's filled with idiots, the Light side is. Even Granger." He ignored the blind comment and insult to his friend and focused on the rest. He shook his head sadly at the browned-haired Slytherin, his clouded eyes gazing at a spot over the others shoulder.

"It takes one to know one, ya know? In addition to that Nott," he spat out his name with the same amount of disgust, "there is no Light vs. Dark anymore. The war is over. We may still have our different beliefs but with Voldemort dead," he spoke over the gasp that escaped the Slytherin as he said the Dark Lords name, "there is no more reason to fight anymore. And for the reference that had to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say. Now if you don't mind I would like to finish the reason I came here."

When he heard no response from Nott, the black-haired Gryffindor continued on to the bathroom. Or at least, he tried to anyway.

He struggled against the hands that held him up against the wall, but weeks of being confined to bed made him lose his muscles gained from Quidditch and the war.

"Let go!" Harry's near panicked shout rang through the hall but had no effect on his attacker. Theodore Nott's hands only seemed to push harder.

'Here we go again. What is it with idiotic Slytherin's attacking/hating me? Besides Malfoy of course, he couldn't be counted as an idiot now.' Harry snapped out of his thoughts as Nott's snarling voice cut through them,

"You think your so smart and perfect Potter just because you're the Savior of the wizarding world. You think you're famous because of some stupid scar and defeating the Dark Lord." He stopped then as harsh breathing floated into Harry's hearing range, obviously to angry to continue. So Harry decided to put his word in regarding what Nott had just said.

"If I was smart, you bigoted prat, then the war wouldn't have gone on so long. If I was smart I wouldn't have let my guard down just because I killed Voldemort.

If I was perfect I wouldn't be seeing darkness 24/7 now would I? If I was perfect I could have saved thousands of innocent people's deaths. Like Malfoy's parents." Harry knew he shouldn't have said anything about that to anyone, especially Nott, even though Malfoy himself was clearly innocent. But he needed to get his point across that he wasn't as smart, or perfect, or great as everyone thought.

"And I don't give a bloody hell about being famous. If it was up to me, I would just be another faceless wizard in the background." He tilted his head in amusement as Nott let out a dark chuckle.

"Malfoy's parents!? Innocent!?" Here he broke out into hysterical laughter finally letting go of Harry who slid down the wall.

"Do you realize who you're talking about Potter!? Lucius Malfoy tortured and killed just as many, if not more, people with all three Unforgivables and extremely Dark curses then the Dark Lord. Narcissa Malfoy, though not Marked and thus not counted as a Death Eater, captured and imprisoned wizards and muggles alike in the Malfoy Manor dungeons to be tortured by her husband and the others. And you call them innocent!" He broke out into laughter once again, before continuing, "And Malfoy! Who was it that sat and watched Granger being tortured and didn't lift a finger to help her, even adding some of his own spells!? Who was it that let the Death Eaters into the school and almost killed Dumbledore, the stupid fool though that he was? Tell me Potter, who was it!? Malfoy, that's who!" By this point the Slytherin was yelling so loudly that Harry was sure the students in the Great Hall could hear him.

He shook himself though and dispelled all of Nott's accusations against the Malfoy's. He wasn't sure why he was defending them, but he didn't particularly care at this point. He just wanted to go to the bathroom and go back to lunch and then bed.

"Lucius Malfoy became a spy a couple of months before I killed Voldemort, so therefore all torturing/killing he did was not held against him, even before he became one. Narcissa Malfoy lied to Voldemort in the final battle and told him I was dead, when in fact I was not and ultimately saved my life, if not briefly. And Draco Malfoy did let the Death Eaters into the castle," Nott's smirk that had appeared when he confirmed this fact quickly disappeared at what he said next, "But not only was it in fear of his family's safety but because Dumbledore, the manipulating bastard, told him to. So you see you fucking idiot, they are innocent! Maybe if you pull your head out of your arse, you might see that!" Harry himself was also yelling as he finished, and he panted hard as he calmed himself down before his magic reacted.

The Savior expected many reactions, yelling, screaming, hell even walking away, but he was most certainly _not_ ready for the strong punch to his face (Harry knew at once that his jaw and nose were broken) and the powerful stinging hex sent immediately after at his stomach. It felt even worse as he couldn't see them happen.

"Fuck you to hell, Potter!" And with that Nott stormed down the hall, at least it sounded like he did, and left Harry with a wounded face, a bruised stomach, and an amusement filled smirk.

X.X.X

Arriving back in the main lobby of Hogwarts, Harry held the ice pack he conjured to his face and felt his way to the thick doors that led to the Great Hall. Judging by the many footsteps getting closer to him, the wounded Gryffindor assumed lunch was over and carefully made his way opposite the doors to where the Grand Staircase was, planting him self on the bottom step as exhaustion took over, combined with the pain of a broken jaw and nose and pain in his lower abdomen.

"Harry!" He smiled wearily at Hermione and Ron's voices in front of him, surprised though that he could hear them over the entire population of Hogwarts as they moved to their respected houses for some post-lunch relaxation. The students and staff had been given a week off to relax with their friends before the school year officially started with regular classes and they were taking full-advantage of it.

"What happened Harry? Did you fall?" Harry winced in more pain as his bushy-haired friend brushed his broken nose as she examined his face. He decided not to tell his friends about the incident with Nott, as he didn't want them to worry anymore.

"Yeah, but I'm fine." He said firmly, hoping to Merlin they wouldn't try to cart him off to the Hospital Wing. He was convinced that he had pissed off some Higher Up in one of his recent lives when Ron said the opposite of what he wanted to hear.

"Come on mate; let's get you fixed up at the Hospital Wing. Can you walk?" Harry tried to stand but a wave of dizziness over came him and he would have fallen if it wasn't for Ron's strong hands catching him.

"Guess not Ron." Laughing he climbed the stairs trying to judge the size of each one, Hermione next to him holding his arm tightly and Ron behind him in case he fell.

As they made their way to the Hospital Wing on the third floor, the injured boy, no, man went over both the scene in the hall with Malfoy and his argument with Nott. Malfoy had definitely changed, maybe for the better, maybe not but Harry was willing to think the former just as long as Malfoy didn't prove him wrong. Nott had also changed, Harry realized and definitely not for the greater good. He knew Nott vaguely from Potions, he winced from a tinge of sadness as that thought brought up a certain Professor but quickly waved it off, but never heard him talk or interact with the other Slytherins. As long as the wizard ignored him, Harry was willing to ignore in return and so never gave him another thought.

He broke out of his amusing as he heard the ever familiar creak of the Hospital Wings double doors open and the bustling of Madam Pomfrey's robes as she approached them.

"Please tell me its not you that's hurt, Mr. Potter." Harry smiled as he was given a light pat on the head from the motherly figure, who was stern but warm-hearted.

"I'm afraid so Madam Pomfrey. I think my nose and jaw are broken." The silence was so great he swear he could hear crickets chirp.

"What are you talking about Harry? You only have a small bruise and a bump on your forehead." The book-lover's confusion only added to his own. He thought for sure he heard his jaw and nose break with that punch Nott gave him. Getting an idea, he lifted up his shirt and prodded at his stomach where he thought the bruise was, and sure enough a sharp pain made him gasp and clutch his stomach.

"Do I have a bruise on my stomach?" He asked, not caring who answered just as long as he got one.

"No Harry. Are you okay?" Hermione asked, concern easily evident in her voice. He nodded and released his stomach, planning on figuring out why he felt the pain but the injury wasn't there later. He sat patiently as the Medi-witch healed his bruise and bump, and did a check up on both of his eyes, and shooed him out of the Wing for some much needed bed rest. Exhaustion was the reason he was 'hallucinating' according to Pomfrey, so Harry was escorted to bed quickly and safely by the only two in the world he could trust.

As Harry Potter laid down on his Gryffindor colored bed he decided to confront Draco Malfoy and see where his loyalties had been in the war. He didn't know when but he would figure that out after some much needed sleep. Sighing briefly, he drifted off into the land of dreams.


	4. Prelude: RH

**Author's Note:** This chapter is supposed to be short. It's just a little prelude type thing with Hermione and Ron and there'll be some throughout the story with different couples. It's also there to move the story a bit. I'm going to be editing the first three chapters and reposting them so yeah. Harry and Draco should be meeting soon. Read, Review, and Enjoy! XD

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He didn't know what time it was when he woke up, but he didn't particularly care. The relaxation week was over and classes were to resume today. Jumping out of bed he hurried over to his trunk and grabbed some clothes and a towel, trying to stay quiet so he wouldn't wake his housemates, and made his way to the bathroom to get ready.

He cast a Drying Charm on his hair and made his way excitedly down the stairs into the warm common room. If anyone had told him at the beginning of the week that he would be excited to go to classes he would have laughed and recommended them to a mental institution. But a year after planning and attacking Death Eater hideouts, he didn't think he would be able to ever relax again and he was edgy the whole week with nothing to do.

Staring around he let pleasant memories engulf him. _Seamus and Dean passing around Butterbeers. Lavender and the Patil twins gossiping about the latest make-up. Ginny, Fred, and George thinking up knew pranks. Hermione working furiously on her essays. Him and Harry discussing Quidditch and Malfoy. _

Shaking his head, he grabbed his bag from the table where he had dropped it the night before after taking Harry to his room and with nothing better to do, began organizing it. Light footsteps coming down the stairs, though, made him look up and he smiled at the sight of his girlfriend. Patting the seat next to him, he resumed his organizing.

"What are you doing up so early Hermione?" He asked, concern lacing his voice.

"I could ask you the same Ron." Hermione easily replied, not voicing her own worries.

"I don't think I could ever sleep past dawn again, hence the being up at 4:30 in the morning, when we don't have to be at breakfast until 7:30." Sighing, he set his bag down and turned to the intelligent Gryffindor beside him.

"Now tell me what _your_ doing up this early 'Mione." He gave her a look that told her not to lie or refuse.

"I'm worried about Harry, Ron. I know he insisted he would be fine and could get through classes, but I can't help get this feeling that something is going to happen today that will affect Harry in so many ways. Nothing bad per say but something _big_." She glanced up at the stairs, a look of pure sadness on her face. He felt the sudden urge to comfort her. Leaning over, he hugged her and laid a soft kiss on her head.

"I know your worried Hermione, and as long as you say something's going to happen, something's going to happen. But you know Harry. No matter what it is, whether it be girls or Death Eaters, Harry can get through any situation. Blind or not. You just have to believe in him." Saying that, Ron and Hermione sat back and waited until it was time to wake up Harry.


End file.
